Description

June 2006, the “185° Rgt. Ricognizione ed Acquisizione Obiettivi” (Target Acquisition Regiment) airborne “FOLGORE” (185° RAO) commissioned to EXTREMA RATIO the developing of a special knife based on specifications concerning their special duties.

The 185° RAO, is the only unit in the Italian Armed Forces in charge of long range recons to acquire several kind of targets to be engaged with artillery, helicopters, aircraft and battleships suppression fire, across all the possible theaters during armed force, interforce and multinational force operations. A very delicate and dangerous duty, operated by detachments capable of penetrating, operating and surviving in hostile surroundings thanks to two years of very hard training.
The motto of this special operation regiment is: “VIDERE NEC VIDERI”, from Latin: “SEE WITHOUT BE SEEN”.

The result is the Extrema Ratio RAO, a survival knife, not a big folder. It is a compact field knife with a strong and heavy blade and a very safe locking system, assisted by an extra safe device that turns the folder into a real fix blade knife. The opening and closing of the blade is performed with both the hands to minimize the risk of self injuries.

The blade, because of it’s weight, is a real guillotine. The extra safe device is a steel pin to be hand screwed through two holes placed by the guard zone of the massive aluminum alloy handle. This device is necessary because of the violence of the chopping ability of this uncommon folder. The presence of this concrete pin between the blade and the user hands is a great psychological assistance to chop strongly and quickly.

The sheath is an essential part of the system. It contains a diamond sharpener and allows the user to carry the knife in open condition, held by a two clip provided lace or in close condition inside the front pocket. The sheath can be hanged to the combat jacket or standard belts thanks to MOLLE system.